January 29, 2011

Gasparilla Today

'The pirate-themed parade kicks off at 2:05 p.m. Saturday along Bayshore Boulevard with actor Jim Belushi as celebrity grand marshal. A free street festival downtown features live bands and food.

'The Mardi Gras-type festival has been going on in Tampa since 1904.

'The parade will begin with a memorial motorcade that includes the police vehicles of slain St. Petersburg officers Thomas Baitinger and Jeffrey Yaslowitz, who were killed Monday trying to arrest a fugitive.'